Rubio waives human rights conditions on USD 320 mn Egypt military aid -Reuters

US military aid to Egypt is back in the foreign press spotlight, as Reuters reports that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has waived human rights conditions on USD 320 mn of military aid to Egypt, citing Cairo’s “helpful role” following Operation Epic Fury — the US-led military campaign against Iran. The waiver was outlined in a letter dated 21 September to congressional committees, alongside a memo bearing Rubio’s signature that described the aid as necessary for counterterrorism, border security, and US national security priorities. Egyptian officials welcomed the news, the state-owned Middle East News Agency reports.

What this means: The waiver releases the withheld USD 320 mn portion of Egypt’s annual USD 1.3 bn Foreign Military Financing allocation without requiring Egypt to meet these statutory conditions. By overriding these benchmarks on national security grounds, Washington clears the full annual defense package based on Egypt’s role in regional stability. The Biden administration issued a similar waiver in September 2024, citing Egypt’s assistance in ceasefire negotiations for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.